1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The Cast inlcudes Val Johnson- a black cop, William H. Willis- A white convict, PArker- Val's black Police Chief, Charlie- Val's cop friend, Alea Johnson- Val's Wife, Rusty- Val's husband. The setting seems to be anytime after 1950. We know this because Val's father talks about how he was a cop in the 1940's and now he is retired. The play is set in New York, Manhattan. We see the play open up at nighttime and The dramatic action that develops is that Val and William Willis are at a standoff.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion comes in two parts. The first part is when William Willis starts talking to Val very crudely. He calls him names, he is racist towards him. He really is scum. The second part of this intrusion hits when Val shoots William Willis even though Willis was tied up. this makes us think that it cannot be an accident or self defense. This happens because he got heated and could not stand Willis.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
There is still a sense of segregation in this country. This comes through with unequal pay and job security. There is a lot of racism in all fields. I think this happened because the question kept coming up that was "If he was black would I have shot him?" I think Val felt like he was stomped on his entire life and called these awful things that Willis was calling him and he just had enough. This play also focuses on the topic of a black man killing a white man. Is it a fair legal system? Would he have been treated differently if the victim was black and he did have to kill him?
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
- Will Val tell the truth of lie? - Will his relationship with Rusty uphold? - Will he find peace? - Will the truth come out?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
Val made a mistake and then struggles with the right way to handle that mistake. In the play he speaks with his father, best friend, and wife about the next actions he should take. It seems at first he wants to feel validated in his actions. He wants to be told that what he did was okay. That he did not get hot headed. Then as the play progresses he wants to find a reason where he can tell the truth. His father tells him that if he does not tell the truth it will eat him up inside. We find this to be true at the end of the play when he does decide to lie and stick to his story. The story says that the light goes out of his eyes. This is tragic because this man who was so heinous to him and so awful took away so much from him and then Val acted on it and it broke Val. Willis took even more form him. I therefore think that this fits in with Ball's idea of Me against another individuals. I think that individual is the white community in the world. This community that has always made him feel less then.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
I think the most theatrical moments happen at the very beginning of the play. The first one is when Willis starts treating Val without respect and saying such awful things to him. The second part is when Val shoots Willis because of this. This coincides with my intrusion. It also works with my play design worksheet because we could use spotlights to play up this theatrical moment.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1.) Split Second is named so because I think it is talking about how long it takes for your life to be completely altered. Val had a weakness for just a moment and happened to have a gun in his hand at that time. This altered his life for forever. This imagery comes from a line of conversation. Images- 2.) Rusty taming his "stallion" and him saying how he was always a good cop. It is like him saying he can control himself but Val cannot. 3.) The police bar on the door. This shows that Val thinks ahead on things and wants what is best for his family. This contrast with his rash decision to shoot Willis and shows how out of character it was of him. This leads the question again of "Should he pay for one moment of weakness over Willis?" It also tells us what decision he is going to make when it comes to deciding if he is going to tell the truth or if he is going to tell his made up truth.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Family, Police brutality, racism, minority rights, toxic relationships, freedom, bad language, friendship, education, etc.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second? Family has everything to do with the play. We see Val at a crossroads here. He is split in telling the truth because that is what he has always known to be true. This is supported by his father who is telling him to tell the truth. Then we have his relationship with his wife Alea. Alea does not want to lose him and knows what a great guy he is so she is telling him to tell his truth of the story. She believes he would not do something hurtful on purpose if he did not have just reasoning as a cop.
The Cast inlcudes Val Johnson- a black cop, William H. Willis- A white convict, PArker- Val's black Police Chief, Charlie- Val's cop friend, Alea Johnson- Val's Wife, Rusty- Val's husband. The setting seems to be anytime after 1950. We know this because Val's father talks about how he was a cop in the 1940's and now he is retired. The play is set in New York, Manhattan. We see the play open up at nighttime and The dramatic action that develops is that Val and William Willis are at a standoff.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrustion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
The intrusion comes in two parts. The first part is when William Willis starts talking to Val very crudely. He calls him names, he is racist towards him. He really is scum. The second part of this intrusion hits when Val shoots William Willis even though Willis was tied up. this makes us think that it cannot be an accident or self defense. This happens because he got heated and could not stand Willis.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
There is still a sense of segregation in this country. This comes through with unequal pay and job security. There is a lot of racism in all fields. I think this happened because the question kept coming up that was "If he was black would I have shot him?" I think Val felt like he was stomped on his entire life and called these awful things that Willis was calling him and he just had enough. This play also focuses on the topic of a black man killing a white man. Is it a fair legal system? Would he have been treated differently if the victim was black and he did have to kill him?
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
- Will Val tell the truth of lie?
- Will his relationship with Rusty uphold?
- Will he find peace?
- Will the truth come out?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
Val made a mistake and then struggles with the right way to handle that mistake. In the play he speaks with his father, best friend, and wife about the next actions he should take. It seems at first he wants to feel validated in his actions. He wants to be told that what he did was okay. That he did not get hot headed. Then as the play progresses he wants to find a reason where he can tell the truth. His father tells him that if he does not tell the truth it will eat him up inside. We find this to be true at the end of the play when he does decide to lie and stick to his story. The story says that the light goes out of his eyes. This is tragic because this man who was so heinous to him and so awful took away so much from him and then Val acted on it and it broke Val. Willis took even more form him. I therefore think that this fits in with Ball's idea of Me against another individuals. I think that individual is the white community in the world. This community that has always made him feel less then.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
I think the most theatrical moments happen at the very beginning of the play. The first one is when Willis starts treating Val without respect and saying such awful things to him. The second part is when Val shoots Willis because of this. This coincides with my intrusion. It also works with my play design worksheet because we could use spotlights to play up this theatrical moment.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1.) Split Second is named so because I think it is talking about how long it takes for your life to be completely altered. Val had a weakness for just a moment and happened to have a gun in his hand at that time. This altered his life for forever. This imagery comes from a line of conversation.
Images-
2.) Rusty taming his "stallion" and him saying how he was always a good cop. It is like him saying he can control himself but Val cannot.
3.) The police bar on the door. This shows that Val thinks ahead on things and wants what is best for his family. This contrast with his rash decision to shoot Willis and shows how out of character it was of him. This leads the question again of "Should he pay for one moment of weakness over Willis?" It also tells us what decision he is going to make when it comes to deciding if he is going to tell the truth or if he is going to tell his made up truth.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Family, Police brutality, racism, minority rights, toxic relationships, freedom, bad language, friendship, education, etc.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
Family has everything to do with the play. We see Val at a crossroads here. He is split in telling the truth because that is what he has always known to be true. This is supported by his father who is telling him to tell the truth. Then we have his relationship with his wife Alea. Alea does not want to lose him and knows what a great guy he is so she is telling him to tell his truth of the story. She believes he would not do something hurtful on purpose if he did not have just reasoning as a cop.